Women

The women’s right movement began in the 1960’s in Louisiana. Unlike many other places in the United States, women could be business owners. Fathers and mothers would pass down their business to the child that was the most equip to run it. Whereas, in many other parts of the U.S fathers would pass it down to their oldest son. Women dreamt of equality and freedom. Activists for this wanted the Equal Rights Amendment to be passed, because this would ensure that women were protected equally under the law. Legislature did not support this amendment in 1982, but the activists did help to make changes on cultural and political levels.  A course called the sociology of women was offered by Cathy Cade and Peggy Dobbins at Tulane University, in New Orleans. This course was the first of many to be offered in Louisiana. Cathy Cade went on to create the New Orleans Women's Liberation Group. The Ursuline are the first know group to educate women. They were a religious group that believed women needed an education too. They wanted them to grow and develop not only morally but also but also intellectually.

There were liberal and radical women’s movements. The radical feminists thought that the oppression of women was happening because of a social structure that benefited men. Radicals wanted to change the system whereas liberals wanted to work within the social structure and still try and achieve equality. Both fought for equality and women demanded reform, because of this the state established two organizations. They were the Louisiana Commission on the Status of Women and the Women’s Bureau. The decades following ,activists were able to help women in prisons, and they taught feminist courses at public libraries. Women also had and affect on culture. They organized concerts and festivals, put on art shows and they changed the attitude towards women in New Orleans.
 

Works Cited

Allured, Janet. "Women's Rights Movement | Entries | KnowLA, Encyclopedia of Louisiana." Encyclopedia of Louisiana History, Culture and Community - KnowLA. N.p., 30 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 Dec. 2015. <http://www.knowla.org/entry/829/>.